A theme of sorts emerged in the casino design field this year when two of the winners of G2E’s Casino Design Awards were for two different properties but the same theme. The Margaritaville projects in Bossier City, Louisiana, and in Atlantic City won their categories, giving attendees at the awards program something to celebrate during G2E 2013.
G2E’s Casino Design Awards are the preeminent design awards program for the gaming industry. The prestigious awards recognize excellence in architecture, design and construction in the gaming industry.
The Sarno Award for Lifetime Achievement, named after famed casino visionary Jay Sarno, also was presented during the ceremony to Richard J. Rizzo, vice chairman of Perini Building Company, Inc. (see page 46). Rizzo, who has overseen and developed casinos up and down the Las Vegas Strip and in gaming jurisdictions across the U.S., was recognized for his contributions to casino resort construction. Jay Sarno’s son, Freddie Sarno, presented the award to Rizzo, along with his sister, September Sarno.
The Casino Design Awards were created and are administred by Global Gaming Business magazine and its supplement, Casino Design magazine. An advisory board of architects, designers, builders and consultants established the categories and criteria for the awards.
The judges for G2E’s Casino Design Awards were: David Schwartz, director, University of Nevada Las Vegas Center for Gaming Research; Seth Makowsky, founder, Makowsky Restaurant Group; and Katherine Spilde, associate professor, San Diego State University, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
The G2E Casino Design Awards are presented each year at the industry’s leading trade show and conference, and are sponsored by the show organizers, Reed Exhibitions and the American Gaming Association.
The winners of the Casino Design Awards for 2013 are:
Sarno Award Winner
Dick Rizzo
Best Architectural Design over $100 Million for a Casino or Casino Resort
Cuningham Group Architecture for Margaritaville Resort Casino, Bossier City, Louisiana
Best Architectural Design under $100 Million for a Casino or Casino Resort
SOSH Architects for Margaritaville & Landshark Bar & Grill Pier, Resorts Atlantic City
Best Interior Design for Casino or a Casino Resort Venue
DSAA/Steelman Partners for Galaxy Sky , VIP Casino, Macau
Best Interior Design for a Casino Restaurant or Nightclub
YWS Architects for Hakkasan at MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Best Overall Interior Design for a Casino or Casino Resort
DSAA/Steelman Partners for Solaire Manila Resort and Casino
Best Architectural Re-Design and/or expansion for a Casino Resort
Hnedak Bobo Group for Four Winds New Buffalo Casino Resort, Michigan
Best Native American Casino Facility limited to Casinos or Casino Resorts
Friedmutter Group and JBA Consulting Engineers for Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort, Arizona
Best Specialty Consulting/Innovation Performance
Illuminating Concepts for L’Auberge Baton Rouge
Best Landscape Design for a Casino or Casino Resort
Yaeger Architecture for Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway
